Retro..Go-Go Boots at NPS?

The NPS Uniform 1970-2013

The picture above is not a flight attendant, nurse, or waitress; it's a National Park Service Ranger.  I stumbled upon the history of the NPS uniform while organizing our library---National Park Service Uniforms Number 4...1918-1991.  The uniform above was worn by women park rangers in 1971 and color coordinated to the colors of earth, sand, and sun.  Joan Glynn, the designer, stated ..."In choosing the color identification, for example, the roots of our natural heritage-to the colors of earth, sand, and sun.  The ingredients are a warm deep beige the predominate color of most of the outfits; a clear, fresh white for the trim; and a sunny, golden orange for accents.  Already existing in our identification symbols, these colors can serve to help unify the many elements in the natural, historical, and recreational groupings within the Park Service."  The Grand Public Unveiling of the "new look" for the National Park Service women took place in the Rose Garden of Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia during Freedom Week, 1970.  A film crew from Polaroid was commissioned to cover the show for a special film on the National Park Service.  Next...Roadshow...

The NPS fashion show was sent on the road and introduced to President and "Ladybird" Johnson at a private showing at their ranch near Johnson City, Texas.  As the last uniform had been modeled, President Johnson gave no indication as to whether he liked or disliked the new appearance of the Park Service women, but simply said "Thank you" and inquired as to what the other women in the Park Service thought of the uniforms.  Most of the women had expressed they didn't like them, but the NPS official diplomatically told him they were well received.  Imagine, giving hikes in these short skirts???.. Though the new chic uniforms were very stylish and trendy, in the field this outfit deemed to be useless.  Not only were they not "field worthy," but these fashionable uniforms were proven to be hazardous.  One female ranger from this era told a story of how she was called out to an emergency brush fire.  After the fire had been controlled and stomped out, she discovered the heat had melted the hem on her dress.  I can totally relate because I actually owned a pair of these plastic go-go boots in the 70's.  My boots were melted one cold, winter day as I was standing too close to a heater at Tizzie's, our local hamburger hangout.  As I looked down at my left boot, it was melted to my skin!  Go-Go boots...not "made for walkin..."

In 1973, women seasonal rangers at Everglades National Park were offered permanent employment because of their excellent work record.  Because of being required to wear the women's dress uniform, they tendered their resignations.   At Yosemite, two brave women ordered "men's" uniforms and their female superintendent photographed the two women in their new uniforms and forwarded the pictures to Washington.  After these incidents and other numerous complaints, the Service revised the uniform covering women.  

We've come a long way baby and I'm certainly glad, otherwise, I would be hiking these 45,000 acres with go-go boots and a mini-skirt.   YIKES!  I'm perfectly happy sporting the  "2013 NPS uniform."  I'll take comfort over fashion out in the field hiking up the mesas.
 Happy Trails...403 clear.

Location--Alibates National Monument

Fortune Cookies..."Seek advice from an Octogenarian"

Fortune Cookies…Without messages, quotes, phrases, or amusing sayings, a “Fortune Cookie” would just be….any other cookie.  Fortune cookie sayings were originally based on bible verses and proverbs,  later English versions of “Confucius Teaching” were introduced.  A recent fortune cookie message read, “Listen to the advice of an Octogenarian.”  What is this message saying to me?  Hmmm.. Octogenarian?  An Octogenarian is a person whose age is in the eighties.  My mother is an Octogenarian, but recently has acquired the ‘old age curse” of dementia along with many of my other friend’s parents.  Recently, I led a hike for two east coast octogenarians, who looked 10-15 years younger than their chronological ages.  Why do certain people remain active, vibrant, and healthy, while others are in nursing homes with a poor quality of life?   According to my personal research on this subject of aging, 50% of all people above the age of 80 have memory related diseases, which end up being fatal. 

After I had presented the rules and introductions to my older visitors,  I wondered how these two octogenarian hikers were going to fare on the hike, equivalent to climbing a 17 story building.  As we began our climb, I decided these visitors were very fit.  The man’s father was still skiing at age 90 and only stopped because no one was able to drive him to the ski slopes.  If I were rich and famous, I would send a special limo SUV to take him to his ski area... just my way to pay it forward.. I asked my east coast hiker, “What is your secret to your long, healthy life?”  He quickly replied, “Gigi, I followed the rules.  You see, I contracted diabetes at age 60, so my doctor gave me a list of rules to follow.  Change your diet and exercise.  I followed the rules and here I am hiking to the top of a mesa.  My friends did not, and they are all dead.”  This statement halted me in my tracks.  Note to self….Listen to the advice of an octogenarian…and…Play by the rules…Yikes!  Later in the day, I led another older gentleman from Florida and he told me his mother was still living and her mind was sharp.  I asked him, “What is her secret?” 
He told me, “Whiskey and Coke.”  Hmmm…

I discovered another octogenarian blogger by the name of Old Running Fox while conducting my aging research.  This remarkable runner is still running marathons at eighty.  During the Boston Marathon bombing,  I noticed an older gentleman, tragically falling at the finish line after the bomb blew up.  I am sure most of you saw this in real time, I certainly did.   My heart was broken for this man and I don’t know if he made it to cross the finish line.  Later, I learned he was 78 years old and I would bet you his goal was to run the marathon and break his personal record.  My goal is to learn from as many older people as I can and pass it on….carry on...and LISTEN!

Every day on my journey from Fritch to Alibates National Monument, I wonder, “Who will I meet and what unsolicited advice will I be privileged to receive?”  Learning something new every day, both about nature or about people, is exciting and sustains me…Today was international day, as I met visitors from Germany, China, and Austria, all in the same day.  It’s like traveling around the world, really, learning about cultures and sharing a few moments with folks I might not ever see again.  Life is like a box of chocolates as a park ranger,  you never know what you’re gonna get…Might be someone from Oregon, Poland, or Dallas, Tx…or a visit from a rattlesnake!

Great advice from an octogenarian hiker…“Who says sporty, active, cute, energetic, and octogenarian, don’t go together.  You don’t stop hiking because you get old; you get old because you stop hiking.”  Dylan Thomas wrote, “Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at the close of day.  Rage, Rage, against the light….” Ok Dylan... I’m raging...

Happy Trails...403 clear...

Season 3

April 22

Today was the beginning of my third season and tour of duty for the National Park Service.  I began the day at Headquarters, or HQ, and traveled about 22 miles to the only national monument in Texas.  On the first day back, I had a tour at 2 p.m. and the weather was windy and hot, which meant the  hike was sure to be challenging.  When the adventurous looking couple arrived for their tour, they proudly announced they were from "anywhere and everywhere" and had been traveling in their motor home for the past nine years.  They both were very intellectual and this hike was a very wonderful "first hike of the season" at Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument. 

They say in the Panhandle, if you don't like the weather, just wait a minute, it will change!!  On April 23, it snowed, sleeted, and I had trouble raising the flag, as the rope was frozen.  Yes, tis April and the mesquites are warning us winter has not yet departed.  I named these magical Ice age trees, "Einstein Mesquites," because they are most assuredly smarter than humans.  These prickly trees instinctively know when, where, and how to bloom at the perfect time.  An old Colorado farmer once told me never to plant until the mesquites have bloomed and also had a theory of why the Panhandle wind blows so hard in the spring.  He said the wind won't stop blowing until the snow is melted off the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Southern Colorado.  I plan to write about these mountains in a later blog and my experiences climbing them.   Last week, I traveled to Taos, New Mexico and noticed the snow caps on these icy mountains to the west.  Is the wind still blowing in Texas?  Are the mesquites ready to bloom?  Note to self..pay attention to older people's theories.  They know about "life."

These past three seasons, i have learned every sign, symbol, event, and element in my working environment means something to a park ranger.  When the wind is blowing out of the north, it means a "blue norther" is on it's way. Word to the wise...watch those clouds rolling in across the lake on the northern plains!!! During a blue norther, like April 23, the temperature dropped from a high of 91 degrees to a low of 33.  As a park ranger, I work in constant interaction with life and the elements of nature.  Out in the wilderness, it is very different from the way people in large cities live.  In Dallas, on a visit recently, I found myself in a daze most of the time.  I had no time to pay attention to the birds flying overhead near Mockingbird Lane because I had my eyes frozen straight ahead.  Traffic in Dallas, especially downtown Dallas at 5:00 p.m. on a Friday, I must say, isn't my favorite cup of tea.  Where are all these people going, what are they rushing to, and do they ever sleep?   Please, please, stay in your lane Mr. jet black BMW, whew!!  As I drove to work today on Cas Johnson road, I actually did have time to pay attention to those beautiful majestic vultures catching the thermals of the wind.  Back to nature..Back to nature...Lose yourself in nature, find peace.  J. Muir said, "In every walk one receives far more than he seeks.  Where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul."  Working as a park ranger..hey, it's really "soul work." I love my job in nature and I'm lucky.

My second hikers of the season have just arrived from Pennsylvania.  The wind has died down, the sky is a beautiful deep blue, my turkey buzzards will accompany us on the hike, and hopefully, we will see a few interesting critters, wildflowers, and check those mesquites for the planting clue! Happy trails! 403 clear...